Clippers Hire Weiss

THE NBA

July 22, 1993

THE LOS Angeles Clippers, spurned by Lenny Wilkens and Hubie Brown, hired Bob Weiss as their coach on Wednesday. Weiss, fired by the Atlanta Hawks after last season, takes the Clippers' post vacated by Larry Brown, who resigned and later became coach of the Indiana Pacers. Weiss was interviewed early in the selection process by the Clippers, who went back to him this week after Hubie Brown decided to remain a television basketball commentator.

Wilkens accepted Weiss' old job in Atlanta over the Clippers. Weiss, who was an assistant with the Orlando Magic in 1989-90, has a career coaching record of 183-227 in five years as a head coach.

SCOTT A FREE AGENT

BYRON SCOTT, who teamed with Magic Johnson in the backcourt during the glory years of the Los Angeles Lakers, won't be re-signed by the team and is an unrestricted free agent. ''At this stage of my career, I would like to play for a veteran team with a chance of a championship within a few years, where my experience and leadership might help it happen,'' Scott said in a statement released by the club.

JOHNSON INJURED

LARRY JOHNSON will spend four to six weeks in rehabilitation for treatment of a herniated disk, Charlotte Hornets officials said. Johnson was diagnosed with the condition on Monday. Perry said doctors will re-evaluate Johnson at the end of the rehabilitation period to determine whether the disk has healed. The team said he first noticed the pain in his back approximately 10 days ago. ''After speaking with Dr. (Glenn) Perry, we are confident that Larry will be ready to go full speed well before training camp,'' Hornets team president Spencer Stolpen said.